Good afternoon everybody and thank you all for coming today!
It is a great honour for us to stand in front of you and celebrate the inauguration of the new academic year 2024/2025 at unibz!
The second semester just started last week and it's exciting for all of us to be back in Bolzano and to jump into the next months with new energy and motivation.

I remember standing here last September during the freshers' days, welcoming the new students to our community. But time flies and the first semester has already passed. I hope that all of you had a good start at this University and that you feel at home in Bolzano. Today, whether you are a new or old student at unibz, we celebrate together the inauguration of the new academic year and we want to use this occasion also to reflect on our time here, on what makes unibz unique and how this experience is shaping our future.
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Una delle caratteristiche più straordinarie della nostra università è la sua qualità didattica, che si unisce a un ambiente internazionale e a un forte legame con il territorio.
Qui, non siamo solo studenti: siamo parte di una comunità in cui le idee si incontrano e diventano innovazione.
Inoltre, le organizzazioni gestite dagli studenti ci offrono la possibilità di mettere in pratica le nostre idee, creare progetti e costruire una rete di contatti che va oltre le aule universitarie
La dimensione raccolta di unibz crea un ambiente familiare e stimolante, dove il trilinguismo e il continuo scambio culturale arricchiscono il nostro percorso accademico e personale.
La nostra università è un luogo di crescita personale e professionale. Studiare in un contesto trilingue ci insegna la flessibilità e ci prepara per un mondo sempre più globale.

The trilingual education we receive here is not just a linguistic advantage—it’s a mindset, a way of embracing diversity and building bridges between different perspectives. If I reflect upon my university experience until now, I can say that studying here enriches me deeply every day.

One of the greatest strengths of our university is its international environment and its strong ties with the local economy: Unlike many other institutions, unibz offers students the chance to engage with companies and institutions from the very beginning of their academic journey. This allows us to transform theory into practice from the beginning. This practical approach allows us to develop the skills that today’s job market requires, that is adaptability, critical thinking, and the ability to work across different cultures. And this is exactly what makes our university experience so unique.

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Thank you for reminding us about the strengths and possibilities that our student life at unibz offers.

Ich möchte nun den Fokus auf ein anderes für uns wichtiges Thema legen: unsere Zukunft. Denn wir, als Studierende, sind nicht nur damit beschäftigt, unsere Vorlesungen zu besuchen, uns mit dem Studienmaterial auseinanderzusetzten, oder unsere zukünftige Karriere zu planen. Wir sind auch Teil einer jungen Generation, die mit vielen Problemen und Unsicherheiten bezüglich ihrer Zukunft konfrontiert ist. Die weltpolitische Lage gibt vielen jungen Menschen aktuell wenig Zuversicht, und es ist einfach, bei den vielen und komplexen Herausforderungen unserer Zeit zu verzweifeln. Auf unserem Weg in eine gute Zukunft müssen wir uns den Problemen und Herausforderungen, die es gibt, allerdings stellen und dürfen uns nicht davor verstecken. Ein wichtiges Thema, das unsere Zukunft beeinflussen wird, ist der demografische Wandel, der unsere Gesellschaft prägt. Weltweit verändern alternde Bevölkerungen die sozialen Strukturen und Gesellschaften. Diese Veränderungen wirken sich auch auf uns als Studierende aus und beeinflussen die Chancen und Herausforderungen unserer Zukunft.

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Noi studenti guardiamo in avanti con entusiasmo, ma anche con qualche incertezza. Il mondo del lavoro sta cambiando rapidamente e ci chiede di essere sempre più preparati, flessibili e innovativi. Non basta più una buona formazione di base: dobbiamo essere pronti a imparare per tutta la vita. Ed è proprio qui che l’università assume un ruolo fondamentale.
Oggi sappiamo che il cambiamento demografico sta trasformando la nostra società: il rischio è quello di un futuro con meno giovani, che porterebbe a meno innovazione e meno crescita. Ma la soluzione esiste, ed è nelle mani delle nuove generazioni. Per contrastare questo fenomeno, servono giovani ben formati, con solide competenze scientifiche e tecnologiche, e con la capacità di adattarsi ai cambiamenti.
Per questo, investire nei giovani e garantire loro opportunità di crescita e innovazione è essenziale.

If we want to shape a strong and prosperous future, we must focus on key challenges that affect young people today. Of course, this starts early, a high-quality and inclusive school system is essential to prepare students for the complexities of tomorrow’s world, but Universities play a fundamental role as well in tackling these challenges. Institutions of higher education are not just places of learning, but drivers of innovation, economic growth, and social progress. If we want a future where young people can thrive, we must invest in education and create real opportunities for students.

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Another crucial issue is student accommodation: finding an affordable place to live has become increasingly difficult, and this issue affects not only students but also young professionals and the entire region’s ability to retain talent. Here, solutions are needed to ensure that education is accessible to everybody. Afterall, to invest in education means to invest in a sustainable and successful future.

Zusätzlich zu notwendigen politischen Maßnahmen, können aber auch wir Studentinnen und Studenten Verantwortung übernehmen und uns engagieren. Denn wir sind dafür verantwortlich, das Beste aus unserer unsere Zeit hier an der Universität und auch aus unserem weiteren Leben zu machen und auch wir können Gesellschaft und Politik beeinflussen. Jeder einzelne kann Teil des Wandels sein, was auch bedeutet, über den Tellerrand hinauszuschauen, sich zu engagieren und aktiv die Welt mitzugestalten, in der wir in Zukunft leben möchten.

As we start this academic year, let us therefore embrace the opportunities that we have and actively pursue both private and academic as well as broader societal goals. Let us also be proactive in shaping our future, ensuring that education remains accessible, relevant, and forward-thinking. Because, as we know, tomorrow starts today and what we do now will define the world we live in.
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Our generation has the power to turn challenges into possibilities, to bridge gaps between cultures – especially here in Bolzano- and to create a world that is inclusive, dynamic, and sustainable. Instead of letting ourselves get divided over age, gender or politics, let us come together as we can learn a lot from each other.

At the end of our speech, we want to thank you for the opportunity to speak here today and for your attention. Have a great and successful academic year 2024/25!

Authors: Aurora Bellotti and Paulina Hedler